The Oliver Perez question haunts Mets

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerOliver Perez is out of the rotation, but refuses to go to the minor leagues.SAN DIEGO — On Thursday morning, 13 days removed from his last start with the Mets, Oliver Perez called Pedro Martinez, a former teammate and mentor. Perez was looking for some advice, any advice, to aid his painful transition from overwhelmed starter to invisible reliever. Martinez could only offer so much.

“He told me that could happen to anybody,” Perez said. “You just have to keep working.”

“Just keep working” is a refrain Perez has repeated for more than a week now, as his demotion sunk in. As he works, those around him search for answers. He now is a puzzle for the Mets, a puzzle still due more than $20 million into next season: Can they find a use for him?

The team has asked him to accept a Triple-A assignment to help him recover his form. Perez declined, although manager Jerry Manuel termed the club’s process to convince him as “ongoing.”

The team believed a bullpen stint might help his velocity return. But on Saturday, Perez served up 87-mph fastballs and allowed three runs in two innings.

His pitching coach praised his work ethic two days before a report emerged with unnamed Mets players criticizing Perez for remaining with the club.

Perez indicated again Monday that he did not want to go to the minors. The bullpen routines have helped his arm. “I’m ready to do anything,” Perez said.

But chances to pitch are difficult to find. There is little room in the rotation for him: Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey are the established one-two punch. Crafty veterans Hisanori Takahashi and R.A. Dickey continue to impress. Manuel said there is a “reasonable” chance Jonathon Niese will start on Saturday after spending a stint on the disabled list with a hamstring strain.

So when can Perez pitch? His propensity for walks (he averages eight every nine innings) makes him a gas-can in tight situations. Manuel said he only feels comfortable using him as a long reliever.

Which, of course, is not the greatest return on a three-year, $36 million investment.

A pair of anonymous players ripped Perez in a New York Post story on Sunday for not accepting a minor-league assignment. Here Monday, Perez said no one on the team had told him that.

Manuel, for one, said he did not believe Perez’s status would become a clubhouse issue. Asked if Perez was hurting the team, Manuel said with a laugh: “Only if we need a long reliever.”